To All A Good Night
by rholowie
Summary: Sequel to Friday the 25th. Years after that horrible Christmas at Crystal Lake, sole survivor, Kelli Shaw, finally goes home for the holidays when the masked maniac returns to finish what he started. Now, she and several others must fight for their lives.
1. Chapter 1

To All a Good Night

"Can't they change the damn station already?" Kelli Shaw grumbled under her breath, glancing up from her reception desk and scanning the empty hospital waiting room as _Silent Night_ blared over the radio. The young woman's gaze was met by the eternally jolly eyes of a paper Santa Claus, grinning back at her from the far wall.

"Ho, ho, ho," suddenly resonated through the room, nearly causing Kelli to scream. However, an unimpressive costumed Saint Nicholas strolled in from the corridor, removing his beard and strutting up to her desk.

"You scared me, Santa. Done visiting the children?" Kelli forced a tiny smile, shakily placing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear before pretending to return to her work.

"Hehe, yeah, nice group a kids," the young Santa smiled cockily, revealing a gold tooth. "Now, what can I get you for Christmas, little girl? How does dinner sound, huh?"

"I have food at home, Santa," Kelli looked up at him, unimpressed. "Besides, isn't Mrs. Claus waiting for you?" The young woman tapped the man's wedding ring with her pen.

"Come on, humor poor ol' Saint Nick. It's two days 'till Christmas, and he can't function on milk and cookies alone, you know. He could use some spare Christmas spirit," the man chuckled, leaning closer to Kelli's face.

"My Christmas's spirit's already out on loan. Now, please leave, Santa," Kelli said coldly, pointing at the door. "I'm not in the mood."

"Aw, come on," Santa frowned. "Loosen up a bit, babe."

"Don't call me babe," Kelli retorted, as a buxom brunette in a nurse's uniform appeared in the doorway.

"Don't you have to get back to the North Pole, Santa?" the young nurse asked. "I can have a security guard escort you to your sled if you want."

"Alright, alright. I'm going," the man sighed, putting his beard back on before shuffling out the door and muttering a bitter "Merry Christmas."

"You alright, Kelli?" the brunette sighed, leaning on the reception desk. "God, I hate jerks like that."

"Yeah, thanks, Luisa," Kelli said softly, sounding rather unconvincing. With a soft moan, she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, running a hand through her hair.

"Still nervous?" Luisa smiled weakly, resting her chin in her hand.

"A little, but I'll get over it. I have to do this…for myself. I haven't been back home in, what, eight years?"

"Just about. Everything'll be just fine, you'll see. In a few hours, we'll be on a plane, and then Ian and Maggie Jo'll pick us up, and we'll all drive into town, safe and sound," Luisa nodded.

"I know I should believe you, Luisa, but I just can't. Not after what happened," Kelli shook her head. "I just feel like he's still out there, waiting for me to come back."

"Look, Kelli, I don't know what happened all those years ago, but I've been your best friend since we were like five…We went to school together, I got you this job and let you move in with me….You're like my sister, Kell…and I hate to see you all messed up like this. I really want to help you move on, but if you're this upset, maybe you should wait another year before going home again…I mean…"

"No. I have to do it now. I can't keep running," Kelli sighed. "There's just a lot of trauma associated with Crystal Lake, you know? A sixteen year old investigated in four missing persons cases… nearly being slaughtered on Christmas…It was a lot to deal with, and nobody believes it happened. I was just some crazy kid scared by an old urban legend."

"I believe you, Kelli," Luisa smiled weakly. "But look, tons of people drive that old highway every day, and they come out just fine. What happened to you was a horrible, horrible thing…but…"

"Do you _really_ believe me, Luisa?"

"What do you mean?" the nurse asked, looking intently at her companion.

"Do you believe me when I say I was chased by…something inhuman? It looked like a man, but it wasn't…And if the legends are true…"

"Honestly…I don't know, Kelli. I believe some nutcase chased you in the woods, and that that same nutcase was responsible for a lot of bloodshed that night…but I don't believe in monsters," Luisa sighed, almost apologetically. "Whoever was out there is long gone now, and I certainly don't believe that you were chased by the infamous Camp Crystal Lake Killer. It's an urban legend."

"I looked it all up, Luisa. Those murders back in the 50s and 80s were documented," Kelli frowned. "Jason Voorhees and his mother slaughtered a bunch of kids. Their own bodies just disappeared…"

"I know…But that's just it. Their _bodies_ disappeared. Pamela and Jason Voorhees are both dead. You didn't even know those murders were real or that the killers had names until you started prying through all those old newspapers….And the power of suggestion is an amazing thing. All the legend says is that a killer still roams the woods, and that's all it is, a legend….You found a dead man to blame your experience on, so your mind created this image of some immortal monster. Whoever chased you that night…had nothing to do with the Voorhees murders. I'm sure of it."

"Since when were you a psychiatrist?"

"There you are, Nurse Panders. Don't you have patients to attend to?" barked a gruff mustached doctor, appearing from the corridor brandishing a clipboard like a weapon.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Rowan," Luisa said, turning and smiling dutifully. "Meet me at home in two hours, okay, Kelli? My shift's over in about an hour and a half, and then we'll head to the airport, alright?"

"Yeah, sure, Luisa," Kelli nodded, "I'm sorry for taking up her time, Doctor." With that, the young nurse and her superior disappeared, their shoes echoing away down the stark hall. Sighing, Kelli looked down at the papers strewn across her desk, startled by the various doodles of hockey masks she'd drawn. She didn't even remember doing them.

With a horrible shriek, Kelli tripped in the snow, staring wildly around at the forest that consumed her. Looking down at her bloodied jacket, she struggled to crawl to her feet, using a dead tree for support. Less than a few feet behind her, the masked maniac gave steady chase, walking menacingly closer with machete raised high.

"Please, leave me alone," Kelli yelled, struggling to run in her clunky boots. "Just let me go home." However, she merely fell forward again, frozen in place. Suddenly, the passing seconds become hours as she felt the foreboding presence stop behind her and the machete sink into her back. With a final gurgled moan, Kelli lay there as the woods faded into darkness and the warm sensation of blood loss consumed her body. However, strong hands suddenly gripped her shoulders, pulling her back to reality, as the bright lights above her airplane chair blinded her sleepy eyes.

"Wha…Wha, what happened?" the girl moaned, rolling over to face Luisa in the seat beside her.

"You were talking in your sleep," the young woman sighed. "Come on, the plane's landing."

"Already?"  
"Yeah, you slept most of the way. Now, buckle up. Ian and Maggie Jo are probably already waiting down there. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Kelli sighed, slowly buckling her seatbelt as the plane unsteadily began its descent. For Kelli, the next half hour was a blur as she and her companion wandered through the airport, tracking down their luggage and screaming at some poor employees when some of said luggage went missing. Though, in truth, Luisa had done most of the yelling, while Kelli stood there, absorbed in her own wonderings.

"At least they didn't lose our coats," Luisa sighed, donning a gray overcoat and black scarf before tying her hair into a ponytail. "It looks like it's freezing out there."

"Yeah," Kelli nodded in detached agreement, slipping into her oversized red ski jacket.

"You look like a big strawberry," Luisa cracked a smile. "Remind me to take you shopping when we get home."

"If…"

"Don't start that," Luisa frowned. "We'll be fine. Now, are you ready to get going?" Without waiting for a response, she started for the door and gave a tiny wave to a dapper blonde man and curly-haired teen waiting there. Kelli followed close behind, and she couldn't help but give a wide smile upon seeing the waiting pair.

"Ian!" Kelli smiled, wrapping her arms around the man. "I missed you."

"Hey, Squirt," Ian grinned, ruffling the woman's hair.

"Don't call me 'Squirt.' I'm not a kid anymore," Kelli sighed, struggling to fix her ruined bangs.

"You'll always be Squirt to me, sis," the man grinned. "Nice to see you, Luisa."

"Ian," Luisa nodded, smiling. "Good to see you too."

"Maggie Jo Panders, is that you?" Kelli's eyes suddenly widened, walking over and giving the teen an awkward hug. "Last time I saw you, you were only this tall." Kelli held her hand just above her waist.

"Well, I'm all grown up now. Seventeen next month," Maggie Jo nodded.

"Do you remember me?" Kelli asked. "You must have been, what, nine when I left?"

"Of course I remember you," the girl said before walking over and courteously taking one of Luisa's bags. "Hey, sis."

"What are you up to, Maggie Jo Panders? Your present is hidden where you can't get your hands on it," Luisa winked, taking her bag back and starting for the door.

"I was just trying to help you," the teen frowned, playing idly with a stray curl.

"Unless you suddenly learned manners since Thanksgiving, I don't buy it," Luisa shrugged as the four shuffled out into the chilly night air.

"I'm parked over here," Ian waved, leading them over to a beaten-up old minivan and shoving their baggage into the trunk.

"I can't believe you still have this hunk of junk," Kelli smiled warmly before climbing into the backseat and buckling up. "Hey, I'm starved. Mind if we stop somewhere?"

"Didn't you eat on the plane?" Ian asked, taking his place behind the wheel.

"She slept like a baby," Luisa piped in. "Besides, the food up there was gross."

"Fine, we'll stop at that diner on the highway before heading home. Will your parents mind, Maggie Jo?"

"Not if I'm with Luisa," the girl shook her head, climbing into the front of the vehicle. "Besides, I don't feel like going home yet."

"Alright, alright," Ian nodded, starting the engine and taking off for the snow lined road.

"Well, well, look at this motley crew," the tanned waiter smiled as the four shuffled into the empty diner as snow started trickling down from the sky. "Wait a minute…Kelli Shaw, is that you?"  
"Oh my God, Ryan! You still work here?" Kelli smiled again, although her cheeks were beginning to hurt from doing it so much. "It's been ages."

"It has. Nice to see you, Kelli. You too, Luisa. I didn't know you were in town. Clearly people around here never tell me things," Ryan frowned at Ian in particular, scratching at the black stubble that covered his chin. "Alright, follow me, everyone. Do you really need menus? You've been in here like a thousand times each."

"Nah, I think we all know what we want," Luisa looked around, and without waiting for approval, she sunk into a booth.

"So, what do you guys want to drink?" Ryan asked as everyone piled against the table, squeezing together uncomfortably. The young waiter placed a familiar hand on Ian's shoulder, absentmindedly stroking the man's arm as everyone murmured off their pleasures. "Alright, I'll be right back."

"Well, well, Ian," Luisa raised an eyebrow, smiling through overly vibrant red lipstick.

"What? I'm an adult. I don't need to report all my relationships to everyone," the man retorted, glancing at Maggie Jo.

"Did you know about this?" Luisa asked, staring at the teen.

"I kinda…set them up…By accident," the teen pursed her lips as Ryan placed a cup of coffee in front of her.

"Hey, Ian, you mind giving me a ride home when you all finish? My shift's almost over, and Sheila took off with the car because she wasn't feeling well," the waiter sighed, mixing up the drinks so that everybody got the wrong one.

"Sure thing," the blonde man nodded.

"Thanks. Anyway, everybody know what they're eating?"

After a half hour, and a quasi-dinner of omelets and burgers, the five of them were huddled in Ian's old van, barreling down the highway ten miles above the speed limit.

"Oh God, Ian. This thing's a screaming metal deathtrap," Luisa moaned, hanging on for dear life as they zoomed along the slippery road, the car rattling and making godforsaken howling noises. The falling snow had become more violent, pouring down relentlessly on the surrounding woods.

"It gets me from point A to point B," the man sighed. "How's everyone else holding up?"

"I'm doing fine," Maggie Jo shrugged, glancing at the dashboard clock. "Huh, 12:01…It's Friday."

"Merry Christmas Eve, everyone," Ryan grinned, as Kelli closed her eyes, noticeably nervous.

"It'll be alright. We're almost there," Luisa patted Kelli's back, smiling comfortingly. She stroked Kelli's hair, assuming the role of mother.

"We're right by it," Kelli whispered, staring out at the snow-covered trees lining the road. "This is right where they picked me up."

"I know, Kell. Try to calm down. You're doing great," Luisa whispered soothingly.

"What the hell?" Ian said, blinded by sudden high beams. Speeding down the wrong side of the road, a tiny blue car was heading straight for the van and showing no sign of stopping. His thoughts racing, Ian turned the steering wheel in a desperate attempt to avoid a crash, swerving off the road and slamming into a tree. Back on the road, the other vehicle slid to a halt as two figures crawled out.

"Is everyone alright?" Ian asked, staring around at his passengers, who appeared shaken but not badly injured. Blood trickled down Maggie Jo's forehead, as her airbag had not deployed.

"My head," the girl moaned, barely noticing the red liquid staining her white coat.

"Here, let me have a look," Luisa said softly, unbuckling herself and examining her sister's wound. "You'll be alright. We just have to get it cleaned up."

"Oh God, Oh God. It's happening again," Kelli had started hyperventilating, as Ian got out of the van and stormed unsteadily for the road. "Stay in the car, Ian! Please!"

"Hey, asshole, what the hell are you doing?" the man yelled, ignoring his sister's pleas. "You could've killed us!"

"Hey, whattar…whattar you gonna do about it, fag?" the other driver chuckled, laughing drunkenly as if he had said something incredibly clever.

"I should've figured…Clyde Owen," Ian rolled his eyes. "You gonna pay for my car?"

"Nah, I ain't go no insurance," Clyde laughed some more, as his girlfriend, a lanky Asian woman with mangled black hair, tried to get him to calm down.

"Denise…are you hurt?" Ian asked, biting his lip and watching as the woman tried to restrain her boyfriend while simultaneously attempting to hide a bruise on her arm.

"Nah, I'm okay. We weren't the ones who crashed. How about you guys? I'll have my dad take a look at your van tomorrow…Free of charge," the woman smiled weakly, trying to force Clyde to sit down. "I'm really sorry. He insisted on driving…and I couldn't…"

"No…Don't worry…It's not your fault," Ian said softly. He didn't exactly put it past Clyde to hit the poor girl if she didn't let him have his way. "We're all fine….Maybe it's not my business…but Denise, did _he_ do that to your arm?"

"Oh…no, I fell the other day, don't worry about it," Denise gave a small, desperate smile as Luisa, Maggie Jo, and Ryan appeared behind Ian.

"That's right. What we do is none of your goddamm business, fruitcake" Clyde slurred, standing up.

"Sit down, Clyde Owen," Luisa snapped, apparently unimpressed.

"Where's Kelli?" Ian asked.

"In the car," Ryan shrugged, pointing. "She refuses to come out."

"Well, she'd better…" Ian froze midsentence, his eyes widening as he saw a hulking shadow emerge from the woods and begin walking slowly toward the crashed van, where an unaware Kelli was curled up in the backseat.


	2. Chapter 2

To All a Good Night

"Who the hell's wandering the woods at night?" Ian looked around, as if actually expecting one of the others to have an answer. However, he received no response other than Denise nervously shifting her weight. "Hey! Who's there?" Ian frowned, cupping his hands around his mouth and yelling so that his voice echoed through the surrounding trees. When he received no response, he began marching for the crashed van, dread welling in his throat.

Having heard her brother's voice, Kelli was startled into attention, lifting her eyes so that they met the imposing figure looming outside the window opposite her seat. As realization hit her, the familiar feeling of pure terror seized control of her body, adrenaline and rationality conflicting until instinct had emerged victorious. Releasing a bloodcurdling shriek, Kelli mindlessly undid her seatbelt and began to struggle with the door—the old car seeming to purposefully deny her exit.

"Come on, you piece of junk," she yelled, throwing her entire bodyweight against the door, which still outright refused to open. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the dreaded shadow beginning to back away from the van, as if seeking shelter in the trees.

"Hey!" Ian yelled again, jogging up and blocking the shadow's escape. "Didn't you hear me…Goddammit…Seamus?"

"Seamus?" Kelly murmured her senses dulling as the door finally gave way, sending her toppling onto the frosty ground. "Ugh…" she let out a small groan, her heartbeat still pounding in her ears. Running over, Luisa gently lifted her up, brushing the snow off her coat as the stragglers from the road wandered over to see what the commotion was. After all, Kelly had certainly managed to make a spectacle of herself in the past few seconds of screaming.

"It's alright, Kelli. It's only Seamus," Luisa sighed softly, glancing over that the redheaded behemoth of a man whom Ian was now confronting. However, she seemed to be taking great pains to prevent Kelli from getting a good look at him. In response, Kelli muttered something inaudible, as a flustered blush, the product of both fear and embarrassment, trickled over her face.

"I feel like a moron," she whispered, letting go of Luisa and trying to regain her balance.

"Don't worry….We all would have reacted the same way if some creeper snuck up on us in the woods at night…Especially if it were Seamus," Luisa forced a small, awkward smile.

"You mind telling me why you're wandering in the woods at night and scaring my poor sister to death?" Ian frowned, uncertainty creeping into his voice as he eyed the disheveled young man.

"I was waiting for those two to come pick me up…My date took my truck and left me out here in the woods," Seamus said, his voice scratchy and confident, as he motioned at Denise and Clyde. "Never try to get to second base when your date has your car keys, hehe…But I don't suppose you'd know anything about that, Ian." However, the cocky giant failed to explain the apparent bloodstains that littered his clothing and ruddy skin.

"…He called us a while ago," Denise piped in, though Maggie Jo was the only one to notice Clyde shoving an elbow into the poor girl's side as she spoke.

"Wait, wait, wait," Ryan frowned. "You took your date out into the woods….and tried to get it on with her…in the snow…outside you car?"

"You got a problem with that?" Seamus tried to make himself look imposing, and for the most part, he was succeeding as Ryan promptly backed off.

"What's with those stains on your clothes?" Ian asked, trying to keep his voice steady. After all, he'd learned in grammar school what Seamus could do to people who challenged him.

"Mud. Why?" the man simply smirked. "We _were _on the ground, remember?"

"Listen, can somebody just call a cop or a tow truck or something?" Maggie Jo said softly, before motioning at her bloodied forehead. "I want to go home and bandage this up…And, there's no way we're getting anywhere in that van tonight." Cautiously, she moved behind Ian and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to gently lead him away from Seamus.

"….Why…ya…you don' need no cop," Clyde slurred, forming a tight grip on Denise's arm. "No harm dun'. Nobody got hurt, right?"

"No….We're all fine," Ian said quietly.

"And I'll have my dad fix your car up…For free," Denise added hastily. "Come on…Do you have a cell phone? Because I have mine if you need it. I'll get you a ride into town."

"Yeah, come on, Ian, let's wait in the van…I'll call my…" Maggie Jo began, but was caught off as she glimpsed something sprawled in the underbrush. Squinting, she managed to barely make out a beaten and bruised face surrounded by wet black hair. "Oh God," she mumbled, stumbling backward and pointing.

"What's…" Ian started to speak, but looking down, he too saw the mutilated female corpse, the poor victim's shirt undone so that her undergarments were showing. Looking up at the bloodstained Seamus, he began to ramble, "Oh God...You…Did you…"

Noticing something amiss, Luisa tried to force Kelli into the car, "Stay there." However, she had apparently failed, as Kelli shoved her friend away and wandered over to her brother's side. Upon noticing the body, she found herself panicking and let out another terrified shriek as memories of Danielle flooded back into her brain.

"Will you stop screaming?" Seamus growled.

"What…what did…what did you do?" Ian said shakily, backing away and dragging Kelly and Maggie Jo with him.

"It wasn't supposed to happen…" Denise cried, tears beginning to well near her eyes . "It was a joke! Please, Ian….We'll call the police tomorrow. It was just a joke….I didn't know what he planned...Oh God..."

"We ain't callin' no police. He didn't do nuttin," Clyde slurred, shoving his girlfriend into submission. "She asked fur it. She deserves tuh sit here and rot."

"Yeah…It was self-defense…you know. We were gonna scare her with the Crystal Lake legend, being that she's new in town and everything," Seamus looked at Denise, his glare another threat that she should keep her mouth shut. "So, we dropped her in the woods and told her we'd come back in a little bit. Denise and Clyde dropped me off down the road, and I snuck up on her…just a little scare prank, you know? She went nuts, man, and I had to get her off. She started hitting me…so I….I guess I don't know my own strength. It was an accident, of course…."

"Then why did you lie about what you were doing before?" Ryan piped in, but then silently cursed himself for doing so.

"You know, you're getting on my nerves," Seamus frowned. "How about you all get back to town and forget all this ever happened, huh?"

"Let's just go, Ian," Maggie Jo pleaded. "It's none of our business. Come on, let's wait in the van."

"Right…" Ian nodded slowly, deciding it was better not to upset Seamus further. At the prodding of Kelli and Maggie Jo, he, Luisa, and Ryan climbed back into the totaled van and hastily locked the doors.

"See you later, buddy," Seamus banged on the window, leaving a bloody handprint. "Hope you get back to town okay. Ha!"

Chatting quietly with his accomplices, one of whom was involuntary, Seamus strolled for Clyde's tiny blue car, which was sitting idly on the highway with its doors open. As soon as he was out of earshot of Ian's van, he began plotting "Clyde, do you have enough gas to get us to the state line?"

"The state line?" Denise whimpered. "I…want to go home, guys."

"We're all in this together now, Denise. Do you want to rot in prison as an accomplice to murder?" Seamus snapped, heading for the trunk. When the girl didn't respond, he snarled, "I didn't think so. The police'll never believe it was an accident…Especially not with that car full of witnesses over there."

"_Was_ it an accident?" Denise asked, her voice cracking as she finally allowed the sobs to escape. "I'll turn…I'll turn you in..." She absentmindedly pulled out her phone.

"You won't," Seamus said sternly, menacingly brandishing the tire iron he'd retrieved from her and knocking the phone from her hand. "Or you'll join Amy and the rest of them in the ditch."

"The rest of them?" Denise whimpered, looking at the gleaming weapon in the man's hands. "Oh God…Seamus…Don't, please."

"Come on, Clyde. We've got to finish them quick. They've probably got the police on their way already," Seamus ignored Denise completely, handing his intoxicated pal a wrench.

"I…I dun…know…" Clyde's stammered, looking at the gleaming tool. "What fur…Der…Der…"

"Do you _want_ to go to jail, Clyde?" Seamus growled. "Now come on, or I'll bash your head in too. I, for one, will not sit in some cell for the rest of my life. Now, move." Sobbing, Denise grabbed Clyde's shoulder, but he only shoved her violently to the ground and started off with his friend.

"You'll never get away with it!" Denise yelled, trying to stand.

"Wait a minute…Guys, what are they doing?" Luisa asked, looking out the van window. "Oh God…they're coming over here."

"Hello? Hello?" Maggie Jo whined into her phone. "Damn…The reception sucks…. Hello? Yes…there's been a car accident…and somebody's been killed….We need help."

"I got through!" Ryan declared triumphantly, talking into his own phone."Yes…We're…"

"Break the driver's window," Seamus ordered outside, cutting Ryan off and startling him into dropping his phone. Grinning, the crazed murderer began marching over and staring in at the array of frightened faces seeking shelter inside the flimsy vehicle. They'd have no trouble breaking in, none at all.

"Oh God…Ian!" Kelli yelled, watching as Clyde marched over and paused outside her brother's window.

"What are you waiting for, Clyde?" Seamus snapped. The drunken man was lingering in uncertainty, staring at the wrench in his hand.

"Back off!" Ian yelled, although he knew that he and his group stood little chance against two muscular idiots with weapons. Some of them may have been able to make a run for it, but given the current situation, it would be impossible for all of them to escape unscathed. Clyde and Seamus had them trapped like animals. "The police are on their way! We told them what you did!" Ian shouted, hoping the two men would be frightened into driving off.

"Ian, don't make it worse!" Luisa snapped forcefully.

"Oh God…Please help!" Maggie Jo screamed into her phone, unsure if she was actually getting through to anyone.

"Yeah…yeah…I got it..." Clyde stammered, but suddenly, he froze, eyes wide with shock.

"What's the matter?" Seamus shouted. "I said do it now, dammit."

"Uh…" Clyde choked, blood sputtering from his mouth as the rusty blade of a machete burst through the front of his chest.

"Wha…What's…?" Seamus cried, backing up in horror as Clyde crumpled to the ground to reveal the hockey masked monstrosity that had claimed him. Raising the machete, the maniac marched for Seamus, moving silently and deliberately with murderous intent.

"Oh God! Oh God!" Kelli yelled. "It's him! He's back!" Looking out the window, she murmured "Jason" as an afterthought. Closing her eyes, she silently clenched her fists, making the firm decision to be brave, for her friends' sakes. She wouldn't let the demons of her past have power over her anymore.

"Oh my Lord," Luisa mumbled softly, watching in silent shock as Seamus raised the tire iron in defense. "It's true."

"Back off, buddy. I swear to God, I'll knock your head in," the flustered Seamus yelled, although his words were aimed at uncaring ears. The figure moved closer, intent on having its prey. With a horrible shriek, Seamus blindly swung the tire iron, hitting his assailant in the shoulder. Appearing particularly unfazed, the monster merely staggered back long enough to give Seamus a chance to escape, the man not so keen on fighting someone who could put up an actual fight.

"Get away from me, you bastard!" Seamus yelled, turning and running for Clyde's car. However, he stumbled over his shoelaces, falling forward and sprawling onto the pavement as his weapon slid from his hand and skated down the icy road. Struggling to his feet, Seamus sprinted for the vehicle, but by now, Denise had locked herself into the driver's seat in hopes of separating herself from the murderous deeds that the men intended to commit.

"We have to run," Kelli said suddenly, watching the scene unfolding on the road. "We have to run, now."

"What? I'm not going out there with two murderers on the loose, Kelli!" Maggie Jo screamed, still fumbling with her phone.

"We have no other choice! He can't be killed. He's not…He's not human, and once he's done with Seamus and Denise, he'll break into this van and slaughter us one by one," Kelli shook her head. "We're sitting ducks if we stay here."

"What do you suggest we do? Go running down the highway?" Luisa sighed, although she couldn't think of a reasonable alternative. Thinking back to the horrible stories Kelli had told her of that awful night all those years ago, she knew they were at the monster's mercy.

"He's slow. If we take our head start…We can lose him in the woods."

"The woods? I'm not going in there!" Maggie Jo frowned. "What if we get lost…What if we freeze to death?"

"Besides, you told me that he…Jason…knows the woods," Luisa added, looking at Kelli. "Should we really go out into enemy territory?" For once, she was the vulnerable one, and it was making her uncomfortable.

"The whole highway's his territory, Luisa. If we go into the woods, we can slip away without him noticing and…hide."

"Until?" Luisa frowned. "Until he finds us?"

"Until the police get here…This car won't protect us," Ryan whispered, finally scooping his phone back up and dialing the local police. "Yes, yes, hello? We need help, fast….Yes, it's an emergency…We're on the road into town. Two people are dead….Yes…Don't tell me to calm down, godammit….Yeah, I'll stay on the line…We're taking cover in the woods…No…You have no idea what's happening!"

"We're wasting time sitting here," Kelli frowned, watching as Seamus pounded on the window of Clyde's car, the monster that prowled the woods nearly upon him.

"Come on," Ian nodded, slowly pushing his door open. Nodding, Luisa did the same, followed by Kelli and Ryan, who was still mumbling to the dispatcher. Frowning, Maggie Jo was clearly uncertain about going, but as she watched the others disappear into the darkness of the woods, leaving her alone, she gave in and followed, swearing to herself.

"Let me in, Denise!" Seamus yelled, still pounding on the car window. "Please! He killed Clyde…and…Goddammit, open up!"

Denise's eyes widened, but she shook her head and refused to open the car door. Biting her lip, she watched as Seamus's pursuer closed in.

"Please, Denise!" Seamus screamed. "Open the damn door!"

"No...I'm finished with you...You deserve to die," the girl said, staring the car. Giving Seamus a final forlorn look, she sped off down the road and left him to be slaughtered, having lost all control of her emotions. Finally, she was free, but her conscious refused to remain clear. "I killed him…I killed him…" she mumbled, repeating the phrase while simultaneously trying to chase the unpleasant thought away.

"You bitch!" Seamus yelled after her as the tiny blue car disappeared into the night. Turning around, he stumbled backward as he saw the masked maniac now standing over him.

"Get the hell away from me!" he screamed, falling to the ground and backing away. However, the dark figure showed no intention of ending its chase until the snowy highway was stained red. With a burst of adrenaline, Seamus brought up his foot and delivered a strong kick into the monster's stomach. Having at least managed to catch his attacker by surprise, Seamus was soon on his feet again and running for the crashed van, finding it empty.

Looking around, he turned over his shoulder to see the persistent horror still in pursuit. With little else to do, Seamus ran for the woods, unaware that he was leading Clyde's bloodthirsty murderer directly toward the frightened group already running through the trees in search of sanctuary. However, none of them realized that they were all running into the abandoned confines of Camp Crystal Lake—which silently seemed to call out for fresh blood to redden the newly fallen snow.


	3. Chapter 3

To All a Good Night

Adrenaline pushing her legs forward with no clear destination, Maggie Jo stumbled through the darkness, climbing over exposed roots and logs so that stray branches tore through her pants and dug painfully into her flesh. She had no idea how long she had been running, but the incident on the highway seemed to have happened an eternity ago. Her calves stung with the warm sensation of blood, until the numbing cold invaded her limbs, sapping all feeling from her body.

Suddenly, her foot hit a snow covered rock, sending a crippling pain through her ankle as she toppled to the ground and landed hard on a fallen log. However, the shock of the blow returned the girl to her senses, leaving her sitting there, lost and frightened, on the ground. Steadying herself with a tree, Maggie Jo struggled to her feet, trying to stand despite the horrible pain in her legs. Foggily looking around, she could only make out the vague shapes of trees surrounded by all consuming blackness. However, the sudden realization that she was alone, having lost the group while she lingered in Ian's car, flooded her mind like a tidal wave, sending her into a panicked rage.

"Guys?" she screamed into the surrounding forest, her voice frantic and harsh. Much to her despair, not even an echo returned her call. "Luisa? Kelli? Please! Answer me!" she called again with no avail. Whimpering to herself, she painfully clawed her way further into the foliage, using whatever she could grab as support. "Please! Ian? Ryan? Answer me, please!" At last, defeated, she slumped onto a boulder, cradling her injured limbs so that her gloves were stained blood red. Looking around with wide eyes, she squinted into the woods, half heartedly hoping her sister would come to her rescue.

Suddenly, a twig snapped nearby and the undeniable crunch of boots in the snow began approaching from the abyss.

"Who's there?" escaped from Maggie Jo's throat, but she immediately cursed herself for opening her mouth, certain that the maniac from the road had found her. Straining to move, she rolled off the rock and landed with a soft thud in the snow, sliding into a squatting position behind the massive stone. Holding her breath, she listened as the footsteps grew louder and more insistent, as if their owner was now in frenzy. Biting down hard on her lip and drawing blood, Maggie Jo desperately tried not to make a sound, but her body, plagued by terror and by frost, insisted on shivering and her breath refused to remain steady, coming in terrified heaping gulps. Sweat clung to her hair, the wet curls sticking to her face and sending chills tingling down her spine.

Suddenly, the unseen intruder paused in the clearing just behind the cornered teenager. Her breath caught in her throat, Maggie Jo gently leaned over and stuck her head out to dare a glimpse at the unwelcome prowler. Biting on her lip again to stop herself from screaming at the imposing shadow standing no more than three feet away, the girl hastily ducked back into her hiding spot, burying her head in her hands to mute her sniveling.

Yet, the figure seemed to have spotted her, as the crunching boots that signaled his approach began again, creeping closer to the rock and pausing right above Maggie Jo. Silently, the girl lifted her eyes in horror to stare up at her attacker as strong hands came down and dragged her to her feet.

"Let me go! Please!" the girl wailed, throwing mostly useless punches at the stranger's face and chest. With bloodcurdling shrieks, she flailed her legs, pain circulating through every muscle.

"Will you shut up?" growled Seamus, shaking Maggie Jo until she had quieted down and begun whimpering again. "Do you want _him_ to find us?" One of her punches had at least made his nose bleed, as the red liquid was now welling near his upper lip.

"…Please, let me go," Maggie Jo moaned gently, her eyes adjusting until they met the ruddy pug face of the muscular murderer before her. "Let me go. Please."

"What are you so afraid of? I'm not gonna hurt you," Seamus frowned, using Maggie Jo's scarf to wipe his face with his left hand. However, his right hand kept its iron grip on the shivering girl's shoulder.

"Please, just let me go," Maggie Jo repeated, his words seeming not to register in her mind.

"If I let you go, will you promise not to run away and scream?" Seamus asked, examining his captive with a cautious eye. "Because if you do, I swear to God…"

"I promise…Please, just let me go," the girl begged, and sighing, Seamus retracted his hand. Almost immediately, Maggie Jo yelled and tried to back away, but pain sent her toppling into the snow. Scowling, Seamus dragged her roughly to her feet again.

"This is why I didn't want to let you go," he frowned, holding her upright.

"What are you going to do with me?" Maggie Jo asked meekly, staring at him with anxious eyes. She had wanted to be an adult, go pick up her sister from the airport like a big girl, but now, her wide, watery eyes were undeniably those of a frightened child.

"What don't you get in that thick skull of yours? There must be a brain somewhere in that hair, right kid? I don't want to fucking hurt you," the man seethed, sitting her back on the rock. "I'm the least of your worries with that lunatic out there."

"Then what do you want with me?"

"I want you to shut up," Seamus whispered harshly in a tone that sounded peculiarly like a threat.

"You…you killed someone…and you tried to kill me," Maggie Jo closed her eyes, shaking her head and trying to make sense of her situation.

"Yeah, well, listen…You know like in kindergarten, they taught you that big fish eat small fish? Well, there's a very big fish out there, and you and I are on the menu," Seamus stared intently at her. "Listen...My partner's dead, my escape vehicle's gone, and I'm sure that you got through to the police, and if you didn't, Denise will… Besides, Amy's got my DNA all over her…and hers all over me." Seamus vaguely motioned at his bloodied clothing.

"So?"

"So, I'm pretty much busted already," Seamus sighed. "Sure, I could hide out in the woods like a fugitive, but that would make me look guilty…and…with the snow…and there's some monster out there that…it just killed…It's a monster, okay? I, mean, I was lucky to lose him in the woods. You saw what he did to Clyde."

"Right…" Maggie Jo nodded softly. "So…"

"So…You and your little posse are as good as slaughtered," Seamus grinned sadistically. "But…if I were there to guide this poor innocent teenager and her friends to safety from some murderous psychopath, surely a jury would look kindly on a single case of tragic self defense."

"Self defense…You…"

"It was self defense," Seamus said sternly, scaring Maggie Jo into silence. "Besides, how long do you think a scrawny kid like you will survive out there? Wouldn't it be better for a bulky guy like me to watch your back?"

Maggie Jo frowned at him, looking up and down Seamus' enormous frame with uncertainty. "But why?" she stammered. "You could just let him kill us…and run…and I…"

"You don't get it, kid…That thing out there's not human, and the longer I, or you, stay in these woods, the closer we get to death. What else can I do? Wait alone to be slaughtered by something I can't fight on my own….wander the highway until some patrol car picks me up? I weighed my options, and buttering up my murd…self defense witnesses and earning a heroism medal sounds like a pretty good deal."

"If you can't fight _that thing_…what makes you think you can help me or my friends escape in the first place? If he's going to pick us off, he'll get you just the same," Maggie Jo spat, but, upset by her own daring, she soon fell back into silent submission. She had the impression Seamus enjoyed it when people trembled before him. "You're nuts, that's it…Denise knows the truth…and…

"Oh, please, she's bordering on insanity. She'll point out the corpse and go home and hang herself or something. Besides…what makes you think_ you_ can survive out here? Huh? You think you…two women and two skinny queers stand a better chance than I do? At least I've got muscle, and you _know _you are more likely to live with me than you are without me, don't you, kid? And I'm sure you'll repay my protection with a glowing testimony when you're called in court….Now…I'd really hate to leave you out here alone…but you're annoying me, so…"

"Fine, fine, let's just go, please," Maggie Jo said softly, allowing Seamus to drag her up again. "I…I can't really walk…I hurt my legs…and my ankle."

"That's all the better…It'll be great for the police when I emerge from the woods, carrying a poor injured girl in my arms," Seamus laughed bitterly, hosting her up and over his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Denise sped frantically down the road, having entered a bizarre trance- a combination of highway hypnosis and guilty musings. Looking into the trees, she contemplated swerving off the road and purposefully totaling the vehicle with her inside. After all, Seamus and the rest of them had to be dead, and in her mind, it was her fault for leaving them behind. The sick thought that she too had committed murder that night flashed across her brain for a few seconds, before she violently chased it away. Suddenly, the high-pitched wail of a police siren startled Denise back to reality. Squinting through the snow, which now trickled lightly down from the gloomy sky, the young woman barely made out the red and blue flashing lights approaching in the distance.

Ferociously turning the wheel and causing the car to skid into the other lane, Denise slammed on the brakes and slid to a stop. Climbing out of the vehicle in an unthinking moment of frenzy, she began jumping up and down, hoping to get the incoming cops' attention.

"Hey! Stop!" the woman yelled, howling in a voice that could only belong to someone unhinged. With a loud screech, the approaching vehicle slid to a halt and two officers climbed out.

"What do you think you're doing, kid?" barked a hefty woman of fifty, marching up to Denise and trying to look imposing. "Don't you have a flare or something…You're lucky we didn't ram into you, what with you…"

"Calm down, Sherriff Blair," interrupted the young flaxen haired deputy standing at the woman's side. He smiled apologetically at Denise, though it was nearly impossible to see in the dark, not that Denise would have particularly been able to make sense of anything at that moment. "What seems to be the problem, ma'am?"

"Oh, God…Jamie, it's awful…Seamus…and Clyde…and Amy…" Denise stammered, falling into the bewildered man's arms.

"Uh…It's Deputy King while I'm on duty," the officer replied, standing upright and at least attempting to sound official. "Now, calm down, ma'am, and tell us what exactly happened."

"Wait, wait…Were you the one who sent that call through earlier?" Sherriff Blair frowned, her wrinkled face becoming severe.

"Call?" Denise blinked, as if not understanding.

"We got a call from a man yelling about two people being dead," Deputy King explained, letting go of Denise and forcing her to regain her balance. "….We figured it was some drunk kids."

"And it looks like we were right," the Sherriff noted, eying the frenzied Denise with a look of disgust and suspicion. "Come on, kid, we'll get you home. Where are your friends at? They're not driving are they?"

"Look….I think more than two people are dead. I left them back there down the road…and…and…oh God…They killed her…And this guy…in a mask," Denise rambled, her words nonsensical, but spoken with such firmness that Blair's suspicions were nearly quelled.

"Calm down, ma'am," King said firmly. "You want to show us where all…whatever happened happened? Should I call for backup, Sherriff?"

"Don't bother. Everyone else is home for the holidays, like I should be. Come on, get her into the car. She can't drive in this state."

King nodded, gently leading Denise by the arm and sitting her in the backseat of the police car. With such a low crime rate around those parts, the terrified young woman may have been the first person in that seat in months. However, Denise apparently wasn't having any of it and immediately began shrieking.

"Let me out! I didn't mean to leave them! It's not my fault!" she yelled, covering her ears and trying to shove King away. Meanwhile, the Sheriff climbed into Clyde's tiny blue car, pulled it to the side of the road, and confiscated the keys. As she walked huffily back to the cop car, Deputy King finally managed to shove Denise inside and close the door.

"Calm down, kid, or we'll arrest you for reckless behavior…and driving while intoxicated," Blair snapped, banging on the window and adding the latter charge as an afterthought. "We just want you to show us where you were, and then we'll get you home." With that, the robust matron climbed back into the police car and began speeding down the road, barely waiting for Deputy King to climb back into the passenger seat.

"Everything'll be alright," Jamie smiled weakly over his shoulder. "We just want to help you."

"It's too late…" Denise frowned, curling into a ball and trying to block out the smell of alcohol and urine that pervaded the backseat. With that, the trio drove in silence for five minutes, each stealing furtive glances at the others whenever they weren't looking.

"There's nothing wrong up here," Blair sighed, shaking her head. "They all probably got drunk, and some of them passed out. I tell you, liquor can do crazy things, King."

"I don't think…Wait…there's headlights down the road…You see them?"

"It's a public road, Deputy…I…" Blair began, but seeing Ian's totaled car, sitting there idle and abandoned, she cut herself off and slid her own vehicle to a halt. "Come on."

Readying his flashlight, Deputy King followed her over as she inspected the wreckage, leaving Denise behind banging on the windows and begging to be released.

"Oh God…" Blair groaned, the familiar sensation of nausea welling in her throat as she happened upon the bloody corpse of Clyde, slumped in the snow with a gaping hole in his chest. "Get over here, King."

"Damnit...I know this guy," King choked, shining his flashlight beam over Clyde's face, the corpse's eyes eternally open in shock.

"Dammit's right…Damn…The call said there were two corpses…Where's the other one?" the Sherriff said, trying to remain composed. "…Get the girl out of the car." Nodding, King wandered over, gently escorting Denise out onto the road.

"Where's the bodies?" Blair asked bluntly, earning herself an angry glare from her Deputy. She merely glared back.

"…You found Clyde?" Denise asked, watching as the elder officer poked around behind Ian's car. "Amy's over…there in the bushes…."

Nodding, Blair walked where the girl pointed, and staring down, she was met with terrified gaze of the bloodied female corpse.

"…The murderers...There still in the woods somewhere…and my friends….They'll all die…Help them! Help them!" Denise frowned, tears welling near her eyes.

"Murderers?" Sherriff Blair raised an eyebrow. "Alright…Deputy, there's innocents involved and…more than one dangerous criminal out there…supposedly. See if you can get through to anyone in town. I'm going to scout out the area. Keep an eye on that one." With that, she drew her pistol, and flashlight steady, she stepped carefully into the trees.

"Right," Deputy King nodded, leading a shaking Denise back to the police car and sitting her down. Smiling reassuringly at her, he pulled out his walkie-talkie. Nevertheless, pushing down the talk button, he immediately snapped back into a stilted businesslike demeanor. "Come in. This is Deputy King." However, after receiving no response, he swore dejectedly to himself. "Dammit…the one time something bad happens in this stupid county, everyone's at home drinking eggnog…Fuck it."

Meanwhile, Seamus dragged Maggie Jo along through the dense foliage, having lifted her off his shoulder.

"I can't walk so fast…Slow down, please," Maggie Jo moaned, her ankle throbbing.

"We have to keep moving. Don't you want to find your friends before that maniac does? Besides, I can't carry your heavy ass anymore," Seamus snapped, suddenly stopping dead in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" the teenager asked, eyes wide.

"Nothing…Shut up."

"But…"

"I said shut up, kid," Seamus snapped quietly, squeezing her arm in his iron vice. "I heard something….Hello?"

"Well…don't call to it," Maggie Jo protested, trying to break free by prying open his fingers.

"I didn't ask your…" Seamus began, bud he froze midsentence, eyes wide in terror. "Run!"

"…What…what is it?" Maggie Jo moaned, yelping in pain as the man took off running, dragging her along with enough force to twist her other ankle.

"I said run!" Seamus snapped, darting violently between the trees with his grip still on his captive's lower arm.

"I can't…" Maggie Jo moaned. "Please…I can't…"

"Forget it. I'm out of here," Seamus let go of the girl, allowing her to topple to the ground as he disappeared frantically into the trees.

"Seamus? Seamus? Come back," Maggie Jo plead, gripping a nearby tree truck and forcing herself to stand. However, despite her best attempts, she could not make her legs actually take her anywhere. They had simply given up. "Seamus? Come back! Please!" Maggie Jo yelled. However, in a split second, she was face to face with the hockey masked monstrosity from earlier. Pressing her back against the tree, the girl tried to scream, but nothing but a dull whimper escaped her lips. Raising the machete, the monster thrust forward horribly, driving the blade through the girl's chest and pinning her to the tree. With that, he turned and walked off, leaving the bloodied hulk that was once Maggie Jo hanging there, standing forever upright with blood pouring to her feet.


End file.
